There are many ways to go about getting sponsorship support in roadracing. However, the good ones all require previous experience and only sponsor certain classes in certain series. For instance, some companies wouldn't give sponsorship for local series, but would for regional. So thats the first big hurtle to jump over if this is your first year of racing. You may be able to score some discounts, but actual sponsorship without having a buddy-buddy hookup, is much harder.
The critical deadline is usually the last week of September or early October. This is when everyone has their sponsorships ready for the following season. You need a web site with a blog, documenting your racing, a Facebook page to promote the racing as well. Your letter will explain a bit about yourself and how you plan on promoting the products, whether its simply still pictures of your bike and trophies or a video discussing the products, however you wish to do it. Usually all you need to do is apply with the company via e-mail (they send you an application form) with an attached letter, is all you need. Companies will get back to you before October for the following season. Most companies will give you a discount if your story is good, others may toss you some free product, but that depends on results and speed as the season goes on. You have to be very out-going and follow up, everyone wants free shit, you need to make them believe you're the best option.
Motorsports racing has another behind the scenes game going on, which a lot of people are unaware of; Contingency. The contingency system is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when it comes to roadracing. A dedicated roadracer, capable of being on the podium in every event they enter, can generally get enough contingency to cover their next months races, if done properly. This means, an initial investment is all they need to continue racing for the rest of the year, barring injury and travel expenses. For instance, Brake Tech will give you $50 bux, Pirelli $100, VP fuels $25 and Leo Vince $50 per 3rd place podium! So thats $225 dollars into your pot for ONE race. Imagine if you do 4 races a weekend and your on the podium for 2 or 3 of them? All of a sudden, your cost of racing goes down substantially. So in my opinion, contingency is the key to being a successful racer because it forces you to do well since the results have a meaning outside of a plastic trophy.
Anyway, every series has a different contingency bracket and some series like WERA have very little contingency at all. When I raced, the series paid us cash for our race results in certain classes, so I focused on those classes ONLY. One weekend I earned about $600 in contingency and cash. It paid for my entire following race weekend PLUS I had some left over for the weekend after.
Here are the companies I'd pursue, who I had luck with in the past.
-Lockhart Phillips (generic Ducati parts)
-Motonation (Sidi boots)
-Leo Vince (exhausts)
-Brake Tech (brakes/rotors/lines)
-Motowheels (Ducati Aftermarket)
-Helmet House (Shoei Helmet distributor)
-VP Fuels
-Motul
Unfortunately, very few people will give contingency for novices and only minimal support is available for people without an expert license. So don't get to bent out of shape if you don't get much from these guys. However, its worth the e-mail and maybe you'll get some discounts, anything is better then nothing!
The critical deadline is usually the last week of September or early October. This is when everyone has their sponsorships ready for the following season. You need a web site with a blog, documenting your racing, a Facebook page to promote the racing as well. Your letter will explain a bit about yourself and how you plan on promoting the products, whether its simply still pictures of your bike and trophies or a video discussing the products, however you wish to do it. Usually all you need to do is apply with the company via e-mail (they send you an application form) with an attached letter, is all you need. Companies will get back to you before October for the following season. Most companies will give you a discount if your story is good, others may toss you some free product, but that depends on results and speed as the season goes on. You have to be very out-going and follow up, everyone wants free shit, you need to make them believe you're the best option.
Motorsports racing has another behind the scenes game going on, which a lot of people are unaware of; Contingency. The contingency system is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when it comes to roadracing. A dedicated roadracer, capable of being on the podium in every event they enter, can generally get enough contingency to cover their next months races, if done properly. This means, an initial investment is all they need to continue racing for the rest of the year, barring injury and travel expenses. For instance, Brake Tech will give you $50 bux, Pirelli $100, VP fuels $25 and Leo Vince $50 per 3rd place podium! So thats $225 dollars into your pot for ONE race. Imagine if you do 4 races a weekend and your on the podium for 2 or 3 of them? All of a sudden, your cost of racing goes down substantially. So in my opinion, contingency is the key to being a successful racer because it forces you to do well since the results have a meaning outside of a plastic trophy.
Anyway, every series has a different contingency bracket and some series like WERA have very little contingency at all. When I raced, the series paid us cash for our race results in certain classes, so I focused on those classes ONLY. One weekend I earned about $600 in contingency and cash. It paid for my entire following race weekend PLUS I had some left over for the weekend after.
Here are the companies I'd pursue, who I had luck with in the past.
-Lockhart Phillips (generic Ducati parts)
-Motonation (Sidi boots)
-Leo Vince (exhausts)
-Brake Tech (brakes/rotors/lines)
-Motowheels (Ducati Aftermarket)
-Helmet House (Shoei Helmet distributor)
-VP Fuels
-Motul
Unfortunately, very few people will give contingency for novices and only minimal support is available for people without an expert license. So don't get to bent out of shape if you don't get much from these guys. However, its worth the e-mail and maybe you'll get some discounts, anything is better then nothing!
